Houston Maritime Lawyer

Working at sea is demanding, and it comes with risks. Injuries and even death can happen, so it’s important to know a Houston maritime lawyer. Should an accident occur far from shore, medical care is not readily available. The same is true if you are a passenger on a ship and a serious accident occurs, either on board a stable, seaworthy ship, or if a ship runs aground, catches on fire, or some other catastrophe occurs when the ship is far from a major medical center. Because of this added danger of accidents or illnesses at sea, it is particularly important that everyone who works on board a ship take extreme care and give attention to details when it comes to the safety of everyone on board the vessel, be it other workers or passengers. Every crew member must be well trained in safety procedures and ready and able to implement them in many varying situations, and owners, officers, and crew members must all be held to a high standard.

Statistics point to human error as the most common cause of accidents at sea. There are many reasons that errors occur or safety procedures are overlooked. Crew members may be required to work continuously for long hours, and are often subjected to stressful pressure to perform more work than they can reasonably handle. Fatigue, lack of experience, intoxication, disruption of sleep patterns, and various distractions can lead to poor judgment and reckless, dangerous, or negligent behavior.

When any type of negligence results in an accident at sea that causes a serious injury or wrongful death, the injured worker or passenger is entitled to make a claim to be compensated for damages stemming from the accident. However, these claims can be quite complicated and have many variables, including where the accident occurred, the registry of the vessel, the type and purpose of the vessel, and whether the victim is a crew member or passenger. International law, environmental law, and other complexities can make these cases extremely challenging. In addition, there are tight time limits on filing a notice of claim. If you are considering making a claim for an injury sustained at sea, for the best outcome, you will need to retain an experienced maritime lawyer to assist you.

Types of Accidents at Sea

Accidents and injuries usually reflect the type of vessel where the injury occurred. These are some examples of vessels where offshore accidents may occur:

• Cargo ships
• Cruise ships
• Oil rigs
• Charter fishing boats
• Commercial fishing boats
• Excursion boats
• Yachts, sail boats, motor boats, and other pleasure craft
• Ferries
• Barges
• Tugs

Maritime Lawyers for Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast

If you have been injured or are a surviving family member of someone killed in an offshore accident, contact the maritime lawyers at the law firm of Gordon, Elias, and Seely, LLP, in Houston as soon as you possibly can. There is a small window in which you can file your claim, and it is important to act quickly to preserve your right to a recovery.

Claims We Handle at Gordon, Elias, & Seely, LLP

We handle all types of sea-related injury and wrongful death claims, including:

• Jones Act claims
• Longshore and harbor workers’ accident claims
• Passenger boat and cruise ship claims
• Fishing boat accident claims
• Ferry, tugboat, and barge claims
• Deckhand injury claims

Free Consultation and No Upfront Fees

Our attorneys have combined legal experience totaling sixty years and have achieved a reputation for success in all types of Houston personal injury and wrongful death claims. We are focused on your needs at all times and will always keep you informed and involved in the decision making process. If you are having trouble with your living expenses, we may be able to advance you money interest free to help you get through this rough time, until your case settles.

Contact Gordon, Elias, & Seely, LLP today to learn how we can help you recover the compensation you deserve. The consultation is completely free. We handle all the costs of investigating and pursuing your claim, and you only pay us if we recover money for you.